Explorer and protector of remote Amazonian tribes, Jair Candor, tracks down a nomadic member of the Piripkura tribe. They discuss his mission to protect their land rights, facing challenges like malaria and armed logging groups. The podcast explores reading the forest, government programs in the Amazon, resilience of young boy Zayir, forming a connection with Jaya, a medical emergency, and retirement plans.
The importance of protecting the rights of isolated indigenous peoples and the threats they face from encroaching development.
The transformative power of firsthand experiences in changing perspectives on indigenous people and recognizing the need for their protection.
Deep dives
Protecting Isolated Indigenous Groups in the Amazon
In the remote reaches of the Brazilian Amazon, Jayevkandor, a tracker for Funai, the Brazilian government organization protecting indigenous rights, searches for the last survivor of an isolated indigenous group, the Mandua. His mission is to locate and protect the Mandua and his land from loggers, ranchers, and developers. With his deep knowledge of the rainforest, Jayevkandor navigates the dense and vast jungle, relying on his tracking skills and understanding of the environment. The encounter highlights the importance of protecting the rights of isolated indigenous peoples and the threats they face from encroaching development.
From City Life to Life in the Amazon
Jayevkandor's ability to navigate the forest stems from his upbringing. When he was a child, his family moved from the more developed southeast of Brazil to the Amazon region in search of land and opportunities. They faced many challenges and hardships, including disease and loss, but Jayevkandor adapted to the forest, learning to hunt, fish, and survive. Living with rubber tappers, he gained valuable skills and knowledge from the indigenous communities. Through firsthand experiences, he developed a different perspective on indigenous people, realizing that they were not dangerous invaders, but rather the ones being invaded upon.
A Lifetime of Tracking and Fighting for Indigenous Rights
As Jayevkandor grew older, he became a dedicated tracker and protector of isolated indigenous communities. Working for Funai, he embarked on numerous expeditions to locate and monitor uncontacted groups. Though most encounters were peaceful, Jayevkandor sometimes faced danger from loggers, farmers, and other groups with vested interests in the Amazon land. His commitment to defending these communities led to threats and acts of violence against him. Despite the risks, Jayevkandor remains undeterred, knowing that his work is crucial in ensuring the survival and well-being of isolated indigenous peoples.
Jair Candor tracks down remote Amazonian tribes in order to protect them from outsiders.
One tribe, the Piripkura has just one member left who’s living nomadically, deep in the rainforest. It’s Jair’s mission to find him, to establish he’s alive, and to protect his land rights from those who want the forest for themselves. Jair has monitored numerous indigenous groups in Brazil over the years, and he’s faced frequent malaria, armed logging groups, and the occasional arrow fired in his direction.
Presenter: Andrea Kennedy
Producer: Harry Graham and Graciela Damiano
Editor: Munazza Khan
Voice actor: Thomas Pappon
Sound design: Joe Munday
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